What Are All the Degrees in Pediatric Nursing?
Nursing is a health care field that deals with the direct and personal treatment of patients. The nursing field covers a wide range of medical specialties including neonatal, oncology, orthopedics, surgical, pediatric and more. Pediatric nurses specialize in the care of children, and the specialty has several levels of degrees.
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About Nursing
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Nurses work in collaboration with doctors and other health care professionals to ensure the safety, recovery, and care of patients. Nurses are present in almost every branch of medicine, including pediatric care. Their duties encompass a number of things including administering medications, charting patients, managing intravenous lines, and directly assisting physicians during surgeries and other procedures.
About Pediatric Nursing
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Pediatric nurses work in the same capacity as other nurses and they go through the same training. The ages of their patients range from birth to 18 years of age, or in some cases 21 years of age depending on the nature of the patient. Pediatric nurses are responsible for most direct patient care. Their duties may include taking vital signs, giving medications, giving baths, starting intravenous lines, taking blood and stool samples, assessing the general health of the patient, and more. They may also act as a liaison between other health care professionals and parents by educating parents on the details of the medical treatments of patients.
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Education Levels of Nursing
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At the lowest level of certified nurse training, there is the licensed practical nurse, or LPN. Their specific duties include lighter nursing duties. They may be limited on the extent of direct patient care they are allowed to provide. On the next level is a registered nurse, or RN. Their specific job duties may include a greater degree of nursing than that of licensed practiced nurses. They are sometimes allowed to practice without the direct supervision of a physician. Registered nurses are also allowed to supervise the work of licensed practical nurses and other health care professionals like nurse assistants. On a higher level of training is a nurse practitioner, or NP. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with a higher level of specific training in nursing. They may specialize in a number of concentrations including family practice, pediatrics, and more. Their duties differ from registered nursing in that they are allowed to diagnose patients, plan future treatments, and write prescriptions.
Becoming a Pediatric Nurse
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The training necessary to become a pediatric nurse is straightforward. It begins by attending undergraduate school. A licensed practical nurse program takes anywhere from between one to two years of full-time study. You must also pass the LPN nursing examination to be certified in your state. Registered nursing requires more training than LPNs; usually at least two more years of training. RNs must pass a RN nursing examination as well. Anyone interested in becoming a pediatric nurse who doesn't want to go through these two paths may go to school earn a bachelor's degree in nursing. This degree focuses less on clinical practices and more on concepts. Still, you will be able to practice as a pediatric nurse with a degree in nursing.
Pediatric Nurse Studies
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People who have attained a nursing license may practice nursing in the state where they are licensed. If you want to become a pediatric nurse, the last step is to focus on a specialization in pediatrics. Some employers have on-the-job training programs that focus on teaching nurses how to specialize in the pediatric nursing field. After completion of this training, nurses will then have to take another exam specifically for pediatric nursing. These include pediatric advanced life support and emergency nurse pediatric course.
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References
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